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Thursday, February 25, 2016

Canadian Army to train in Norway with NATO partners

Several hundred Canadian Army soldiers from 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (2 CMBG) and 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (3 RCR) from Petawawa, Ontario, will conduct winter warfighting training in Norway with 13 NATO Allies and partners during Exercise COLD RESPONSE 2016 (Ex CR 16) from March 1-9, 2016. In order to ensure successful training, numerous soldiers have already deployed overseas in preparation for this multinational exercise.

“Exercise COLD RESPONSE presents a great opportunity for Canada to engage with our NATO Allies and closest partners and further supports our excellent relations with Norway," said Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan. "It also allows the Canadian Armed Forces to enhance its operational effectiveness in challenging winter conditions.”

This Norway-led exercise includes approximately 15 000 soldiers from various countries including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the United States, the United Kingdom and Norway. The aim of Ex CR 16 is to retain and further develop military capabilities in high-intensity, joint and combined ops in a challenging environment.

The Canadian Army is contributing an Infantry Battalion Headquarters, a Company Group as well as staff officers to the Swedish Multi-National Brigade Headquarters. Canadian soldiers will exercise joint and combined operations under an extremely challenging cold-weather scenario, with the goal of developing their ability to operate with international partners in arctic conditions.

Ex CR 16 is a multi-national, joint and combined exercise featuring land, air and sea elements.

It provides an arena for participating forces to enhance warfighting skills and exercise all aspects of winter warfighting, including offensive and defensive operations, patrols, surveillance, reconnaissance, and battlespace management.

Ex CR 16 is taking place in the Trondheim region in Norway, approximately 500 kilometres north of the capital, Oslo.

Canada and Norway enjoy a long tradition of cooperation on regional and global security issues.